Windows Mobile 6.5 to Include Over-the-Air Update Feature

Many of us were expecting to see Windows Mobile 6.5 coming around as just another minor cosmetic update of the popular operating system, yet the latest news on the Web shows that we're going to actually see a rather nice-packed software update.

And even more reports in this direction are coming down the pipe, this time concerning the way Microsoft will plan to provide users with updates for the mobile platform. It seems that the Redmond company is testing at the moment Over-the-Air firmware updates for the 6.5 version of Windows Mobile, at least this is what WMPoweruser states.

If this is true, it would mean that users of a mobile phone powered by the upcoming Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system would be able to update the ROM of the platform without the need of a desktop computer, as they were supposed to do up until now. For sure, this feature would make a lot of users rejoice, especially due to the fact that it was expected to come only with the future Windows Mobile 7 and not with the 6.5 version of the platform.

Theoretically, the update would work the same as it currently does with Nokia smartphones, preserving all the applications and settings on the device, allowing users to benefit from them immediately after the update is performed, and not having to reload all the apps and data again. In addition to that, it seems that the updates could also be pushed, which means that more Windows Mobile users out there would be able to enjoy them.

For what it's worth, it is a great thing to hear that Microsoft is taking steps towards offering its users competitive features, just like other companies are doing at the moment. Yet, it remains to be seen how things actually evolve, and if the newly announced feature will actually prove to be useful.